


A New Leaf

by Phoebe_Snow



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Suicide Squad (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Love Confessions, One Shot, Rare Pairings, Self Prompt, Sidekicks, mush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-21 23:17:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9571205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phoebe_Snow/pseuds/Phoebe_Snow
Summary: Now that Harley is no longer a criminal and is going steady with Bruce, she decides that she wants to be his sidekick.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a random story vomit that came out of my head, so forgive me if the characters are a bit OOC. I don't write much stuff on Batman, so I'm kind of going by my feelers about him.

* * *

 

 

  
"Bruce?"

  
"Yes, Harley?"

  
"I was just thinkin'. Since Dick isn't Robin anymore, maybe you need someone else to work with when ya go out patrolling."

  
The man turned to his blonde companion with a raised eyebrow. "Oh?"

  
"Yeah, and I have the right candidate, too."

  
Mild alarm crossed Bruce's features before settling back into a neutral expression. The right 'candidate', she said. What in the world did she do? Go out and hold auditions in a gymnasiums?

  
Sure, that may sound absurd, but since Harley had been living at the Wayne mansion for over a year, Bruce had gotten used to his girlfriend's unorthodox methods. She'd also successfully convinced him to lower his defenses and let her into his heart. It was so easy to allow himself to relax around her. Other times...he had no idea what she was going to do next. It was both exciting and nerve-wracking. "You have?"

  
"Yep!" She grinned at him. "Bet ya can't guess who I'm thinkin' about."

  
"I suppose you could give me a hint."

  
The look on Harley's face showed slight disappointment after he said that. "Aw, c'mon. There's only one person I would recommend to be your partner in, uh, vigilantism." She paused, waiting for him to respond.

 

He didn't.

  
"Tsk, obviously, I mean me."

  
"No."

  
"But-"

  
" **No** , Harley."

  
The blonde glared at him and fisted her hands, pressing them to her hips in frustration. "And why not? You didn't have a problem with your last four sidekicks, and they were all a lot younger than I am."

  
"That doesn't matter. You're not going to be my sidekick." He stood and began to walk out of the parlor.

  
Harley felt her heart begin to sink, but she was determined. She followed him, not willing to just give up and let this lie. "Bruce, you put ya life on the line all the time."

  
"That's right, but that's my choice to make. I'm not willing to let anyone else risk their own life by working with me. I'm better off alone."

  
"That's bullshit and you know it! You've had people work with you before and you never had a problem with it, so why now? Why single me out? Am I not good enough to be your partner?"

  
"No."

  
"Do ya think I'm too weak to handle the streets or somethin'?"

  
"That's not it, Harley..."

  
"Well, what the hell is the problem? Are you afraid I'm gonna go back to the way I used to be? Do ya think I'm gonna run off and start my own gang again and become your enemy?"

  
"No, Harley!"

  
"Then, what is it?!"

  
Bruce grabbed her by the shoulders and held her against the door to their bedroom, shaking her slightly. _"I can't lose you!"_

  
Harley's eyes widened as two gold pieces. "What?"

  
He sighed and lessened his grip on her torso. "I don't want you to be a sidekick because you could get hurt. Too many people I care about have gotten hurt because of their association with me and I'm not going to add you to that list."

  
That was understandable, yet not a good enough reason for her. "But you know I can take care of myself."

  
"It's not about that. I could never forgive myself if...if the woman I loved got hurt on my watch."

  
The blonde could feel her heart pounding in her ears and she trembled after hearing Bruce's confession. She knew that her boyfriend wasn't the type to just blurt out his feelings unless he was under a lot of pressure or strain. He had to keep a part of himself closed off to people, particularly since he was Batman.

  
Slowly but surely, he'd begun to let his guard down around Harley and she'd realized that he wasn't a hard man as she previously believed when they were on opposite sides of the law. He was just a man who had been through a lot of hell in his life, a man who had to endure a lot to protect this city at great cost to himself. Bruce was an exceptionally brave man and a hero.

  
Harley closed her eyes and a lone tear slid down her cheek. He loved her. That's why he didn't want her to be out there with him. He'd lost so much and if he lost her, too...well, she didn't even want to entertain the thought of what that would do to him. Hell, she hadn't suspected that she touched him so deeply until now, but she was happy that she came to him with this anyway.

  
"Oh, Bruce. Why didn't ya say so?" She replied in a soft voice as she reached out to him, touching his cheek tenderly.

  
He gave her a half grin. "Well, you wouldn't let up. What else was I supposed to do?"

  
"Just be honest with me and don't avoid the issue. It's never a good idea to let my mind wander like that, you know. I thought maybe...you didn't believe I was good enough to be your partner."

  
Bruce's lips parted and he shook his head. She really thought that? And all this time, he never had a clue. "I would never think that about you, Harley. You know the streets of Gotham just as well as I do. I know good and well that you can take care of yourself. I just don't like the idea of you being in harm's way."

  
Harley sniffled and wiped away an errant tear. "It's been a long time since anyone cared that much about me. Keepin' me safe and all. I usually had ta look out for myself, even back when I was with him." There was no need for her to say his name as they both knew of whom she was speaking.

  
"I know and I hope that you don't feel like I'm trying to crowd you or force you to do what I want. If you want to work with me, I guess...I could be open to the possibility. Just give me time, okay?" He gave her a little smile.

  
The fact that Bruce was willing to accept the idea of her as his partner made Harley's head dizzy with excitement. She squealed and threw her arms around him. "Take all the time you need, Bruce. I'm not goin' anywhere."

 

 

 


End file.
